


Knock Out

by baranskini



Category: The Good Wife (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23320864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baranskini/pseuds/baranskini
Summary: Diane is late for lunch.
Relationships: Will Gardner/Diane Lockhart
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37





	Knock Out

**Author's Note:**

> A tumblr anon requested I repost this. So here you go, I originally posted it in 2017, so hopefully it's not too cringe-worthy.
> 
> Hasn't been beta'd since then because I didn't want to bother my amazing beta with this trash, I did read over it and edit a few things so please bear with me. I also didn't know where to post it because it's not really an InBetweens chapter, although there is some Lockner. 
> 
> Anyway, I know it's not the SM update you all want, but it's what I'm able to give at the moment. I hope you all are doing okay, and that you are all safe! Stay home, friends!

“Alice!" Will yelled from down the hall. Striding quickly toward the young girl. Alice gulped, her green eyes wide with fear as her boss approached. "Where is Diane?" Will growled in annoyance, his voice hoarse and hushed as he glanced around, smiling politely at a few clients.

"Diane?" Alice hiccupped, her face pale, her hands trembling slightly at her sides,

"Yes," Will snarled, his expression stern as he looked at the younger woman. "Tall, blonde, leggy?" he continued sarcastically, tilting his head to the side pointedly.

The brunette opened and closed her mouth a few times, gulping like a goldfish as she stared up at him.

"I, uh, she-" Alice trembled out, her hands fidgeting nervously.

"Oh, good God, Alice!" Will exhaled, rolling his eyes. His hand reached out to grip her upper arm and steer her toward a corner and out of the way of prying eyes. "Look, I know you and Diane have some sort of… _agreement_ , don't ask questions, don't tell Will," he joked flatly, and Alice breathed out heavily. "But," Will continued meeting her eyes directly. "She was meant to meet me and Eric Dempsey for lunch over an hour ago and I can't get hold of either of them!"

Will's tone was stern and direct, but with an underlying hint of worry and Alice could read the very real fear in his deep eyes.

"Now,” he continued softly, but firmly. “What the hell is going on? Where are they?"

"Well, she's, you see," she tried, fumbling over her words, her eyes cast to the floor.

"Alice," Will breathed out impatiently, grasping both her hands and looking at her. "Where _are_ they?"

"She's at the hospital," The girl gulped out and Will's eyes widened. "They both are." she added and her boss' eyes almost fell from his head, his jaw dropping open.

"What?" he asked confused, his brows knitting together.

"She, um, she hurt her hand," Alice continued a little more confidently and Will's worry increased as his hands fell from the young woman. Dragging his fingers through his hair, he paced slightly.

"Which hospital?" he demanded, stopping suddenly and turning back to the young assistant.

"County General," she said and before she could elaborate Will was off, jogging toward the elevator, leaving confused clients and employees in his wake.

-0-0-0-

"Will?" Diane frowned as she spotted her partner through the billowing curtains of the emergency room.

Will exhaled deeply at the sight of her, making his way over. Diane was seated on an examination bed, her hand resting delicately in her lap, ice covering her knuckles.

"Thank God!" Will gasped, bounding up to her. His hand curled into her hair and he pulled her forehead toward him; pressing a soft kiss there in a gesture that was both loving and comforting. Pulling back, his eyes ran over her, assuring himself that she was all right.

"You okay?" he questioned, his eyes darting to her hand. Diane smiled sheepishly, leaning into Will's arm which had snuck around her shoulders in a sort of half-hug.

"I think I broke my hand," she shrugged with a humourless laugh, lifting the ice slightly and allowing him a glimpse of the bluish-blackened skin beneath.

"Jesus Diane!" Will cursed loudly, releasing her shoulders as his large fingers gingerly trailed across the marred skin. Her usually elegant fingers were swollen, her knuckles hidden beneath bruises and even more swelling, it looked bad.

"What happened?" he pressed, a frown settling into his features as he moved to lay the ice pack back on her hand. Diane's eyes slid closed and she breathed deeply, mentally preparing to relay the story. "And where is Dempsey? Alice said he was here too?" Will continued before she had a chance to speak. "Did he bring you here?"

Diane blinked her blue eyes open aghast, her mouth falling open.

"Did he bring me here?" she repeated incredulously, gaping at her partner with distaste. "No, he didn't bring me here!" she snapped defensively, darkly.

"Then..." Will trailed off, cocking his head to the side and thinning his eyes in confusion.

"Didn't Alice tell you?" Diane questioned in disbelief.

"Tell me what?"

"I hit him." she supplied simply, her eyes steeling and expression strong.

"What?" Will almost yelled in outrage, his eyes wide and furious. "Diane, he's one of our biggest clients!" he admonished, running his hand through his hair worriedly.

"Not anymore." Diane sang with a heavy roll of her eyes. Will glared at her, his jaw falling open.

"He quit?" Her partner gasped in a hushed tone of shock.

"I _fired_ him." Diane snapped back firmly, her face showing no remorse. Will gaped at her in shock, anger bubbling within him.

"You fired him?" he repeated aghast, stepping away from her and covering his mouth with his hand in disbelief. "What the hell were you thinking?" He finally continued; his tone bitter with anger. Diane shook her head in horror.

"What was _I_ thinking?" she spat back incredulously, her eyes fiery with hurt.

"He brings in a third of our revenue!" Will continued in a state, the vein in his throat pulsing the way it always did when he was pissed. Diane met her partner’s eyes dead on, her expression stoic and dark.

"Will,” she began in a shockingly calm voice. “Did it ever occur to you that I may have hit him for a reason?" she questioned darkly, her eyes thinned and pointed.

Will paused, his anger simmering down slightly, as he contemplated this. Diane tilted her head to the side, waiting with a knowing look for him to ask the inevitable question. Will opened and closed his mouth a few times, his mind slow to catch up, before finally –

"Why?" he questioned softly, moving closer to her again. His suspicious eyes meeting her bright blue orbs once more. Diane let out a heavy breath, her shoulders deflating slightly, her confidence from before wavering.

"He made a pass at me." she admitted softly and Will frowned deeply.

"That's not the first time a client has done that," he responded suspiciously. He was no fool, he knew clients came onto Diane, how could they not? She was gorgeous. Most of the time, she set them straight and laughed about it with Will later over a bottle of scotch. So why was this different?

"No but it was the first time one tried to put his hand up my skirt and tongue down my throat!” she snapped back, her eyes shining slickly. She forced a grin; one he might have called smug had it not been belied by the vulnerability on her expression.

"Diane," Will said quietly, softly, suddenly feeling guilt wash over his body. "I'm sorry, I," he began shaking his head in shame as he took her uninjured hand in his.

Diane shrugged with a weak smile, squeezing his hand in thanks. There was a long beat of silence where neither partner said anything, Will’s eyes locked on her covered fingers.

"Did you hit him hard?" Will finally asked, looking up to her with a malicious grin that had her smiling too.

"Broke his nose in three places." A deep voice from behind Will replied. Turning quickly Will came face to face with a young man in blue scrubs. " _Tyson_ over here did some serious damage," the handsome doctor complimented, and Diane ducked her head, blushing slightly. Will's eyes thinned at the reaction, not liking it at all.

"Are those my x-rays?" she asked nodding to the films in his hand.

"They certainly are!" The doctor replied with an easy smile, holding them up to the light, he pointed to a small crack in her bones. "It's just a fracture and some bruising luckily. For now, just wrap it and keep it immobile for a few weeks, hopefully it should heal itself."

"Thank you," Diane breathed out with a grateful smile.

"You're welcome, are you the husband?" The blonde man asked turning to Will. Diane let out a short laugh as Will's eyes widened.

"The work husband," she supplied, and the doctor laughed.

"I see, well, she's on some pretty heavy pain meds, so she'll need a ride home, but other than that, she’s are free to go!" Will nodded with a smile of his own, shaking the hand of the doctor before turning back to Diane.

"Come on dear, we're going home," he joked, and Diane rolled her eyes. Removing the ice pack, she eased herself off the bed, Will's hand immediately falling to her waist to help her along.

"I hurt my hand, my legs are fine," Diane sassed with a smirk as Will directed her toward the exit.

"Hey!" he snapped back. "I'm being gentlemanly!" he continued proudly, and Diane chuckled lowly, shaking her head in amusement.

"A _gentleman_ wouldn't have his hand so low," she replied pointedly, and Will fingers instantly danced up her spine, closer to the middle of her back.

"Sorry," he mumbled awkwardly as they approached his car. Opening the door for her, he waited until she was seated in the passenger seat before bending down; leaning on the roof and car door.

"I'm sorry about before," he apologised kindly, the guilt at his earlier behaviour written across his features "About what I said," he clarified, and Diane smiled softly in response.

"Will," She whispered as he was about to close the door, her expression nervous as her blue eyes met his green.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a favour?" she questioned so quietly he almost missed it. Will leant toward her, his brow furrowed.

"Of course!" he replied strongly, ready and willing to do anything for her.

"Kiss me," Diane begged breathlessly, her expression sad and hurt. Will frowned.

"What?"

"It's all I can feel,” she whispered, a sob catching in her throat. “His mouth. I feel like I can still taste him," she explained; embarrassed. Will's eyes softened instantly, a reply dying on his tongue. Looking up at him for a long while Diane shook her head. "You know what,” she started again. “Never mind, it's the just medication talk-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Will had ducked down and pressed his lips to hers. Diane's eyes slid closed as his tongue swiped across her bottom lip. His hand left the door frame to curl into her golden hair and helped angle her head to deepen the kiss.

Diane moaned as she felt his tongue slip into her mouth, tangling and twisting around hers passionately. After what felt like an eternity, Will slowed the lip-lock, his mouth kissing hers gently, intimately until finally he pulled back. Diane gulped, swallowing hard. Her eyes were still closed tightly and her breathing laboured.

Will chuckled as she finally blinked up at him, the surprise written across her features.

"How was that?" he asked with a smug grin, already knowing the answer.

"If I'd known you kissed like that, I would have asked you to do that years ago," she admitted in a breathless swoon, her heartbeat still trying to slow to a regular pace.

"If I'd known you'd let me…” he trailed off and Diane chuckled at his reply, her eyes sparkling as she met his boyish grin.

"Take me home, Will." she said almost sleepily; the medication slowly beginning to kick in. Will nodded stepping back to shut her door before going round to the driver’s side.

By the time he pulled up outside her brownstone, Diane was snoring softly. Will smiled, knowing she'd hate that he'd seen her like this. Tomorrow she'd blame this all on the medication, the kiss, the snoring, the vulnerability -and he'd let her. Tomorrow they'd pretend none of this had happened, that they'd merely lost another client and that would be that. Tomorrow they'd move on, but Will knew deep down, that he wouldn't forget this day for a long, long time.


End file.
